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Local energy
PLANNING
LEGISLATION
Net Zero Go
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Using this document
This document summarises key Planning Legislation and Building Regulations relevant to local energy projects and links to
external sources for further information and guidance.
The content within this document has been split into common project themes, which can be directly navigated to by clicking
on the nominated icons on each page, or you can scroll through the document using the arrow keys.
A number of case studies of projects delivered by or in collaboration with local authorities are also referenced within the
relevant project sections.
We have included details on variations to the guidance at a country and local level, where relevant, but this is not exhaustive
and the latest guidance relevant to your location should always be checked.
We always recommend liaising with your relevant Planning Authority colleagues. A list of UK Planning Authorities can be
found on the Planning Portal.
The successful delivery of local energy projects often relies on practical experience and internal champions, so any
opportunity to upskill across local authority teams should be prioritised to build internal knowledge and support.
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Contents
Low Carbon Heat Low Carbon
Mobility
Renewable
Generation Battery Storage
Building Energy
Efficiency
UK Planning
Planning Systems in
the Four UK Countries
Planning Portal –
England and Wales
Interactive Policy Map
Future Homes and
Buildings Standard
Case Study:
Bristolian’s Guide to
Solid Wall Insulation
Case Study: Plymouth
Sustainable Warmth
Delivery
Key Planning
Considerations
Heat Demand Maps
Case Study:
Nottingham City
Homes Energiesprong
Case Study: Heat as a
Service
Transport
Decarbonisation:
Local Authority Toolkit
Case Study: Rapid
Charging Devon
Local and
Neighbourhood Plans
Key Planning
Considerations
Case Study: Devon
Rooftop Solar PV
Case Study: Onshore
Wind Successes
Planning Consent and
Locational
Requirement
Case Study: Energy
Superhub Oxford
Planning Systems in the Four UK Countries
England
•Primary legislation is the Town and Country
Planning Act (TCPA) 1990.
•The Localism Act 2011 introduced the duty to
cooperate with other local authorities.
•The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
2012 has a strong emphasis on sustainable
development and introduced Local Plans.
•Planning Practice Guidance online simplifies the
planning process and categorises content.
Wales
•The TCPA 1990 and the Planning and Compulsory
Purchase Act 2004 still apply.
•Key legislation is The Planning (Wales) Act 2015
and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales)
Act 2015.
•Two main levels of plans –the Welsh Spatial Plan,
Planning Policy Wales covers all of Wales; and
Local Development Plans, like England’s Local
Plans where each local authority must adopt one.
Scotland
•Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997
(as amended in 2019) is the primary legislation.
•Scottish planning is plan-led, like the rest of the
UK, and local authorities should consider the
relevant development plan.
•Each local authority has a Local Development
Plans. There are also four Strategic Development
Plans, which set out the future development and
land use aspirations across each city region.
Northern Ireland
•Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 commenced
the transfer of responsibility for the majority of
planning functions to district councils.
•The Planning (Local Development Plan)
Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 set out
guidance on the local development plan
•The Regional Development Strategy (RDS) 2035
functions similarly to Planning Policy Wales.
•The plan-led system ensures decisions are based
on development plans and policies.
A more detailed comparison of these systems is available in a 42-page
Commons Library Briefing Paper (2016), available here. All four UK
countries have a ‘plan-led’ planning system, meaning that national and
local planning policy is set out in formal development plans.
Planning Portal –England and Wales The Government’s online Planning Portal works in partnership with every local
authority across England and Wales. It represents the national home of planning
and building regulations information and the national planning application service.
Additional guidance for Scotland is available on the Scottish Government website.
Interactive Planning Guidance
The Planning Portal is an accessible source of guidance about
planning and building regulations for home improvements
and commercial or residential developments. This includes
detailed guides and useful links on over 50 common project
types, including energy saving, heat pumps, home energy
generation, hydro electricity, and wind turbines.
This content aims to help you plan and take
the next steps on your project, remain
compliant throughout the project's lifecycle,
and deliver on time and in budget.
The Planning Portal has also developed
interactive guides to the planning and
building rules related to over 50 aspects of
indoor and outdoor building modifications
and measures. These can be filtered and
expanded to explore summary guidance and
links to relevant further information.
Building Energy Efficiency
Case Studies
Click logo for summary
The fabric performance of a building influences the amount of energy needed to heat it as well as
cool it. Improving on the energy efficiency of a building in a ‘fabric first’ approach means
maximising the performance of the building’s external envelope and reducing the heat demand
before considering a low carbon heat source and renewable generation assets.
Light retrofit: focus on performance optimisation, basic remodelling, replacement, or adaptation of existing building elements
which tend to focus on a single aspect or feature (lighting upgrades, optimisation of building controls and operation, etc.).
Deep retrofit: focus on significant works of size or scale that result in a fundamental change to the building structure and/or
services. This can be represented as a collection of light retrofit enhancements or individually disruptive measures, such as major
plant replacement. (UKGBC 31-page Commercial Retrofit Report, 2022).
Interactive Policy Map –Domestic Retrofit and New Homes
The UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) interactive and ‘living’ policy
map highlights leading examples of domestic retrofit and new home
policies and initiatives from local and combined authorities across the
UK. The highlighted regions enable you to click and explore a summary
of the relevant local policy, further details on initiatives and case studies
in that region, and external links to local policy documents and
additional resources.
To be included on the map, the entry should have a demonstrable link
to a policy or achieving an official local authority objective, and it must
demonstrate best practice for other local authorities.
Alongside this resource, the UKGBC has also published a Retrofit
Playbook (2020) and New Homes Policy Playbook (2021). These
resource packs include full reports (~75 pages), summaries, and
sharable presentations that are designed to help cities and local
authorities drive up the sustainability of homes.
Building Energy Efficiency The Future Homes and Buildings Standard sets out the proposed changes to Part L (conservation
of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) of the Building Regulations. This also introduces two
new Building Regulations to tackle the risk of overheating in new residential buildings, Part O, and
sets out requirements for electric vehicle charging points, Part S. Recommended local actions
have been indicated below for local authorities to prepare for these milestones.
2021
Consultations on the
Future Homes and
Future Buildings
Standards close,
introducing six new
‘Approved Documents’
of technical guidance
–Parts L, F, O and S.
2022
Interim uplifts from
June. New non-
domestic buildings
must produce 27% less
carbon emissions and
new homes 30% less.
Reduction in max. flow
temperature for new
and replacement
heating systems.
2023
Government will
launch a full
consultation on the
technical aspects of
the Future Homes and
Buildings Standard.
Legislation will be
introduced in 2024.
2025
Future Homes and
Buildings Standard will
be implemented,
including no new
connections to gas.
Local authorities can
still set higher energy
efficiency standards for
new homes in their
area.
Post-2025
Any new homes built
after 2025 will not
require further energy
efficiency work to
become zero-carbon
as the electricity grid
continues to
decarbonise.
Case Studies
Click logo for summary
Local Actions
Set planning policy that
dictates new builds are fit
for the future and will not
need further retrofit.
Deliver ambitious Local
Plan for zero carbon.
Local Actions
Facilitate skills and
employment
opportunities to grow
the housing retrofit
supply chain. Embed
support in local
project delivery.
Local Actions
Engage with citizens
and communities on
decarbonisation.
Develop a strategy
for education, action,
and demonstrating
progress.
Local Actions
Support homeowners
to retrofit their
homes with a clear
customer journey,
access to quality
contractors and
financial assistance.
Case Study – Bristolian’s Guide to Solid Wall Insulation
In 2015, Bristol launched an 88-page planning guide to help plan home improvements. The Bristolian’s Guide to Solid Wall Insulation is
a detailed document to guide you through the thought process and considerations for undertaking major works on domestic buildings.
This includes responsible retrofit, developing a retrofit plan, and details on solid wall insulation. Much of the content is vital for effective
retrofit projects and relevant to houses across the UK. Unfortunately, the mentioned tool is no longer accessible.
Key Recommendations
Explore formal or informal
permission, including: Planning
Permission, Listed Building Consent,
Building Regulation Approval,
Neighbour consent, and Highways
signoff. Planning Portal advises on
standardised requirements.
If required, apply for consent with
the relevant application forms to the
Planning Authority. Being thorough
increases the chances of a prompt
and clear decision. Supporting
materials include drawings, survey
report, and heritage statement.
Additional considerations include
costs (some permissions and the
preparatory works, e.g. fees for
drawings, surveys or statements),
and timing (assessment of an
application can take a couple of
months, on top of any preparation).
Neighbour consents, even if there
are no formal requirements, are
considered good practice, especially
where there will be an impact on
their property.
Permitted Development Rights are
applicable where works do not
require Planning Permission. These
do not apply to flats or conservation
areas. Even if the retrofit measures
do not require Planning Permission,
other consents may be needed.
The Local Planning Authority may
have removed some permitted
development rights by issuing an
‘Article 4’ direction. Most permitted
development rights are subject to
conditions and limitations, e.g. ‘Prior
Approval’ on certain classes.
Case Study –Plymouth Sustainable Warmth Delivery
Plymouth City Council has been trialing methods for energy efficiency retrofit delivery since 2008. Plymouth has most recently been
successful in securing over £4m in Local Authority Delivery Phase 3 (LAD3) and Home Upgrade Grant Phase 1 (HUG1) funding through
the UK Government’s Sustainable Warmth Competition. This grant funding is eligible for properties with an Energy Performance
Certificate (EPC) rating of E or below and can be used for measures including insulation, glazing, solar panels, or low carbon heating.
Key Lessons and Recommendations
Procuring Delivery Partners
•After previous issues with procuring a large delivery partner, e.g.
delays and quality of service, Plymouth has now adopted a ‘local’
approach to working with delivery partners and installers in the
city for retrofit schemes, submitting funding bids in collaboration
with a local delivery partner.
•Benefits of this approach include removal of pressure on
Procurement team, more efficient delivery in restricted
timescales, appointment of local SMEs supporting the circular
economy, and ability to appoint a trusted intermediary giving
residents more confidence.
•Local SME installers are engaged through supplier days to bring
them along with the local retrofit journey and standards.
•Interested installers are vetted based on best service, best
quality, and range of measures available.
Engaging with Residents
•Plymouth Council’s responsibilities are accountability for the
funding, grant administration, grant processing, and ensuring
eligibility. Plymouth pays the installer directly on behalf of the
resident due to previous issues with residents buying personal
items with the grant.
•Plymouth Energy Community (PEC) acts as the scheme’s
trusted intermediary, marketing the scheme, generating leads,
and providing a list of recommended installers. In a previous
trial of lead generation with a national supply company, PEC
secured 5 times as many leads due to local trust.
•Terms and Conditions of the grant have been reviewed by the
Legal team to ensure no bias towards a particular supplier and
they’re as simple as possible for the resident to understand.
Low Carbon Heat
Case Studies
Click logo for summary
Heat decarbonisation largely relies on the local delivery of low carbon assets and the accompanying knowledge
that enables this. Due a lack of national guidance, many local authorities are duplicating effort to produce heat
decarbonisation plans and potentially missing vital opportunities to collaborate with wider stakeholders, e.g.
citizens and Distribution Network Operators. Regen has recently published a 54-page report to provide a
framework for how national and local government can best work together to address heat decarbonisation.
In 2021, the UK installed the lowest number of heat pumps per 1,000 households across Europe, demonstrating
the urgency needed to meet the target of 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028. Similarly to building energy
efficiency, local authorities can be acting now to support the delivery of low carbon heat, including facilitating
skills and employment opportunities and engaging with citizens and communities on decarbonisation and
technology types to build knowledge and trust.
Technology Type
Key Planning Considerations
Domestic Heat Pumps •Ground or water source heat pumps on domestic premises are usually considered to be permitted development.
However, listed buildings and conservation areas may have requirements. Environment Agency (EA) permits may apply.
•Air source heat pumps are also permitted development; however, a list of conditions must be met, including: all parts of
the heat pump must be at least one metre from the property boundary, there must be no existing wind turbine, and the
heat pump must be solely used for heating purposes. Relevant building regulations also apply.
Non-Domestic Heat Pumps •Ground or water source heat pumps in the grounds of a non-domestic building are likely to be considered permitted
development. Non-domestic land can include businesses and community buildings. However, air source heat pumps are
likely to require an application for planning permission. Building regulations will need to be complied with.
•The total area for excavation or area covered, including pipes, must not exceed 0.5 hectares and EA permits may apply.
District Heating Networks •Local Plans can designate the right land uses to underpin the success of a district heating scheme and planning can
ensure that heat sources and consumers are co-located. Similarly, planning can influence opportunities for recovering
and using waste heat from industrial installations. Heat mapping and zoning have a prominent role to play in this. In
2021, BEIS published a 138-page report into the opportunity areas for heat networks across the four UK countries.
•Local authorities can futureproof opportunities by taking advantage of any other planned roadworks to install pipework.
Hydrogen •BEIS is expected to publish a decision on the role of hydrogen in decarbonisation by 2026, coinciding with a ban on fossil
fuel heating in off gas grid homes. Planning regimes should be in place before 2024. Hydrogen is only expected to meet
13% of domestic heat demand, but hybrid systems with heat pumps will add value in areas less suited to electrification.
Low Carbon Heat Heat demand maps support the planning and deployment of low carbon energy projects through visualisations of
heat demand by area. However, this often relies on a robust and consistent methodology for modelling heating
and cooling demand. UK Government recently consulted on heat zoning, which will require a nationwide
methodology for designating areas where heat networks are the lowest cost solution for decarbonising heat.
Scotland Heat Map Interactive
The Scotland Heat Map Interactive site and reporting tool
allows anyone to examine where and how much demand
there is for heat energy from buildings across Scotland. Heat
demand estimates are presented for areas ranging from
50m grid squares to whole local authorities. The map can
also highlight existing and planned heat networks and
existing and potential sources of energy supply, alongside
other relevant data. Most of the data in the interactive map
can be downloaded in a range of formats including web
mapping services, web feature services, text files and/or
image files. Guidance on how to use the Scotland Heat Map
interactive can be found in its quick user guide.
Every local authority in Scotland can access a more detailed
heat map dataset covering their area. This data is shared via
the Scotland Heat Map framework agreement. Other public
sector bodies can register interest in accessing the data.
Case Studies
Click logo for summary
The National Heat Map of England was commissioned by BEIS in 2010 but decommissioned in 2018 and is no longer working. This
was produced and maintained by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), demonstrating detailed address-level modelling of
demand data. The purpose of the heat map was to help identify neighbourhoods where heat distribution is most likely to be
beneficial and economically viable. It was intended to be used as a tool for prioritising locations suitable for more detailed
investigation rather than a tool for designing heat networks. Using a similar approach to the one utilised by CSE, or by gaining
access to meter readings, heat mapping can be commissioned by local areas to inform and support decarbonisation plans.
Case Study –Nottingham City Homes Energiesprong
Nottingham City Homes was the first housing association in the UK to pilot the Energiesprong approach, delivering a whole-house
solution to transform 60 homes into warmer, more desirable places to live. The initial 10-home pilot project in 2017 was delivered by
Melius Homes, designed by Studio Partington and funded by the Horizon 2020 REMOURBAN and Transition Zero projects. Melius
Homes Ltd was procured to deliver the Energiesprong performance outcome including 1500kwh net import, a maximum tenant cost of
£330 p/a (2018 tariffs) and guaranteed comfort for tenants.
Key Recommendations
The Solution
•Energiesprong solution was procured based on a fixed price,
evaluating the whole life cost and the design quality.
•Tenants were involved in developing the design brief, enabling
the inclusion of tailored additional items.
•Tenants were able to remain at home during the one-week install
of the prefabricated, insulated wall panels and windows.
•Full list of measures also included: new roofs with solar,
communal energy system in first 3 phases with ground source
heat pump (GSHP), GSHP with individual heat pumps in fourth
phase, individual air source heat pump in current phase, some
properties have hot water cylinders and some have thermal
stores, wet space heating system retained with radiators,
building and performance monitoring and controls.
The Impact
•Warmer, more efficient, and affordable places to live.
•Following the pilot phase, additional funding was secured to
continue developing the concept across the city.
•Range of suppliers and approaches have been tested,
including ways of manufacturing facades.
•Three different M&E approaches have been trialled, including
a full communal energy system with private wire electricity
and communal heating, communal ground source with
individual heat pumps and batteries, and individual air source
heat pumps with battery storage.
•A recent survey confirmed that all tenants said they were
comfortable or very comfortable in their new homes.
Case Study –Heat as a Service
The need to accelerate the decarbonisation of heating, as well as the rise of the ‘smart home’, mean that there is an increasing focus
on the role of innovative consumer offerings in driving the shift to zero carbon domestic heating. In the context of these agendas, Heat
as a Service (HaaS) models, which provide customers with an agreed heating plan rather than simply providing units of fuel, are
receiving increased attention as they could support a step change in the rate of heat decarbonisation. The UK Energy Research Centre
(UKERC) ran a workshop in 2019 with 40 participants to understand evidence needs and research gaps (22-page summary).
Key Findings and Recommendations
Consumer Experience
•Energy services might unlock better consumer experiences, e.g.
warmer homes, where the value proposition is a fixed price for
heat over a set period. Smart meters, advanced controls, and
cloud data could mitigate contract or service risks for customers.
•People with experience of heat plans were more likely to want a
heat pump (15% of trial participants, 0.1% non-participants).
•Barriers to Energy as a Service include energy inefficient homes
limiting benefits, inflexible contracts, trust in an unfamiliar
proposition, and digital literacy for accessing energy usage.
•More trials are needed to address consumer concerns, combine
a retrofit package, and introduce carbon saving targets.
•There is a recognised need to connect installers, consumers, and
experts to facilitate HaaS.
Market Challenges
•Challenges include low customer awareness, limited data,
smart meter rollout issues, lack of transparency and ability to
compare markets, long-term contracts to enable asset payback
and secure meaningful carbon reductions.
•Access to finance is a key issue for homeowners in
decarbonising heat –low cost or free loans needed, e.g.
Scottish Government loans through the Energy Saving Trust.
•Regulation and markets do not support individual consumers.
•Unclear how far HaaS will be adopted by delivery agents as a
route to financing energy efficiency and low carbon heat.
•Open, interoperable and secure data are key to deploying
HaaS. It is also essential to upskill industry to deliver low
carbon heating.
Low Carbon Mobility
Case Study
Click logo for summary
The Department for Transport (DfT) published a 216-page Transport decarbonisation plan for
Great Britain in 2021. As the largest contributor to UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions in the
UK, progress in decarbonising transport has remained stagnant over the last three decades. As
part of the plan, the DfT has committed to embed transport decarbonisation principles in spatial
planning and across transport policy making to ensure that new development is designed to
promote sustainable travel.
As part of this plan, a commitment was made to support the role that local areas and regions
have in reducing emissions from transport. In April 2022, the DfT published a suite of guidance
documents as part of a toolkit for local authorities.
Transport Decarbonisation: Local Authority Toolkit
The purpose of this online toolkit is to provide advice to local authorities on planning and taking measures to reduce carbon emissions from transport by:
•highlighting the benefits of different interventions;
•setting out the actions local authorities can take to reduce carbon emissions;
•sharing best practice and lessons learnt from case studies of successful schemes already delivering local benefits; and
•signposting local authorities to other published guidance and methodologies.
These online toolkits are split into nine key areas (including links to specific toolkit):
•Active travel –including developing a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and developing a behaviour change programme for active travel.
•Car clubs –including procuring a car club operator, engaging with internal and external stakeholders, and introducing car clubs a new developments.
•Decarbonising road freight, servicing and deliveries –including supporting a charging and refuelling infrastructure provision for freight.
•Demand responsive transport –including devising a demand responsive transport scheme and implementing a communications strategy.
•Lift sharing –including undertaking feasibility assessments, establishing a strategy, developing a business case, and planning and new developments.
•Transport in rural areas –including active travel initiatives, electric vehicles, commuting, and decarbonising tourism.
•Zero emission buses –including national policy direction, zero emission bus infrastructure, and the role of local transport authorities.
•Zero emission fleets –including formulating a procurement strategy, installing charging infrastructure, encouraging local businesses to switch.
•Electric vehicle charging infrastructure (published separately) –including the role of local authorities and planning and delivering public infrastructure.
Case Study –Rapid Charging Devon
Rapid Charging Devon is a consortium of six partners working together to build a network of rapid electrical vehicle charging hubs
across the county. Using state-of-the-art technology, the consortium is delivering rapid on-street charging solutions which will enable
access for local neighbourhoods, with co-location of car club electric vehicles to extend the reach. Devon is already the UK’s number
one hotspot for electric vehicle ownership, according to DVLA registration data. Rapid Charging Devon will help it maintain this lead by
addressing one of the biggest barriers to widescale adoption –access to a charge point.
Key Findings and Recommendations
Permissions
•On-street charging projects should anticipate long timeframes
associated with the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) approval
process for the first few sites they are developing with each
Highway and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC). Subsequent
applications are likely to be simpler and faster.
•Engage effectively with councillors as early as possible during the
TRO approval process.
•A clear and robust rationale for site selection needs to be
communicated from an early stage for HATOC meetings and local
engagement.
•Councils should ensure that the TRO process is faster once one
project has been approved.
Site Identification and Design
•On-street solutions should limit the number of designated
parking bays to help reduce impact and simplify site selection.
•Testing chargepoints with local users with accessibility needs
should be done as early as possible. Industry level accessibility
standards are being developed to inform future specifications.
•Clear guidance and signage needs to be integrated at the
design stage for all users.
•Clear and early agreement on the design specifications for on-
street charging infrastructure with all relevant parties.
•Provide sufficient width for other pavement users in site
design or selection, being mindful of opposition in preference
of walking and cycling options.
Renewable Generation
Case Studies
Click logo for summary
Local Planning Authorities are responsible for renewable and low carbon energy developments
of 50MW or less installed capacity (under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990). Renewable
and low carbon developments over 50MW capacity are currently considered by the Secretary of
State for Energy under the Planning Act 2008, and the Local Planning Authority is a statutory
consultee. It is the government’s intention to amend legislation so that all applications for
onshore wind energy development are handled by Local Planning Authorities. Microgeneration
is often permitted development and may not require an application for planning permission.
Home energy generation technologies include solar photovoltaics (PV), wind turbines, solar
thermal (water heating), heat pumps, hydro electricity, biomass, and micro combined heat and
power.
Promoting the Delivery of Renewable Generation
Local Plans
•Local and Neighbourhood Plans are the key to delivering development that has the
backing of local communities. When drawing up a Local Plan, local planning
authorities should first consider what the local potential is for renewable and low
carbon energy generation. This should consider:
•Technologies that could be accommodated and policies needed to
encourage their development in the right places;
•The different impacts of certain technologies depending on location;
•Community initiatives play an important role and should be encouraged to
provide positive local benefit. Neighbourhood Development Orders and
Community Right to Build Orders can be used to grant planning permission
for renewable developments. Relevant policies should be shared widely.
•The Centre for Sustainable Energy has published a range of online resources
and guides for Sustainable Neighbourhood Planning.
Identifying Suitable Areas
•Local planning authorities will need to consider the requirements of the
technology and, critically, the potential impacts on the local environment,
including from cumulative impacts. The views of local communities likely to be
affected should be listened to.
•Identifying areas suitable for renewable energy in plans gives greater certainty
as to where such development will be permitted.
•Examples of the considerations for particular renewable energy technologies
that can affect their siting include proximity of grid connection infrastructure,
site size, transport links and access, sources of water for hydropower, and
predicted wind resource for wind turbines.
•The National Policy Statements give generic and technology specific advice
relevant to siting particular technologies. These set out the potential impacts of
technologies and how these should be addressed.
Renewable Generation There are a number of factors that should be considered regarding the acceptability of a
location for any form of renewable energy development. The criteria for this will be
outlined in Local Plans. However, there are particular considerations for hydropower,
solar technology, solar farms, and wind turbines that have been summarised below.
Landscape assessment is also relevant to large scale developments. Cumulative
landscape impacts are the effects of a proposed development on the fabric, character
and quality of the landscape. Cumulative visual impacts concern the degree to which
proposed renewable energy developments will become a feature in particular views and
the impact this has on the people experiencing those views.
Technology Type
Key Planning Considerations
Ground-mounted Solar •Effective use of land is encouraged by focusing large solar farms on previously developed and non agricultural land.
•Planning conditions may stipulate future removal and restoration of land to its previous use.
•Security measures, such as lighting and fencing may be required, with consideration for any impacts of this.
•The visual impact of glare and aircraft safety, in addition to the impact on views of heritage assets and mitigating this.
Solar PV and Solar Thermal •Active solar technology on or related to a particular building is often permitted development provided the installation
is not of an unusual design, or does not involve a listed building or a designated area.
•If planning permission is required, the project should consider: the optimum location of the system; the effect on a
protected area; and the colour and appearance of the modules.
Onshore Wind Turbines •Site must be identified as suitable in a Local or Neighbourhood Plan and any planning impact identified by local
communities must be fully addressed, following consultation. This should include the consideration of noise impacts.
•Safety considerations include distance from buildings, overhead power lines, air traffic safety, defence operations,
radar installations, and impact on the road network. Planning conditions may stipulate future decommissioning.
•Ecological risks may be present for birds and/or bats that should be assessed. Advice is available from Natural England.
•Pre-application consultation with the local community is required for more than 2 turbines or hub height over 15m.
Hydropower •Planning applications should be accompanied Flood Risk Assessment. Early engagement with the local planning
authority and the Environment Agency (EA) will help identify any issues specific to the location.
•Advice on environmental protection for new hydropower schemes has been published by the EA.
Case Studies
Click logo for summary
Case Study –Devon Rooftop Solar PV
Devon Community Energy Network published a summary of the factors that should be considered when selecting a roof for solar PV.
This includes details from orientation to using the energy generated, and touches on legal considerations. In 2015, Devon County
Council, Foot Anstey and Climate Positive prepared a Community Energy Legal Toolkit to help community energy groups understand
good practice in developing community energy projects so that their community’s interests are properly protected.
Key Recommendations
Factors for Rooftop Selection
•Planning: Permitted Development is often applicable, except for listed buildings. Specific
considerations for domestic and non-domestic buildings are on the Planning Portal.
•Roof condition: Must be strong enough to carry the load for 20+ years. Building regulations
for domestic and non-domestic buildings are on the Planning Portal.
•Access: Static scaffolding is often required for each property and issues may arise if it must
extend over the property boundary into a neighbour’s territory or public area.
•Ownership and Legal issues: Where the property is privately owned or rented, clear
ownership and legal considerations must be settled, and a lease may be required.
Legal Toolkit
•Devon’s Legal Toolkit presents four flowcharts describing the process for developing a
community energy project –wind, hydro, rooftop solar PV, and ground mounted solar PV.
•At key stages of the process, each flowchart advises what legal agreements should be
considered, with templates. However, independent legal advice should also be sought.
Case Study –Onshore Wind Successes
Since the start of 2020, two onshore wind sites (above 1MW) have become operational in England, totaling just three turbines and
3.3MW of generation capacity. In the same timeframe, 90 turbines have been built in Scotland, delivering 276MW. Despite being one
of the cheapest forms of electricity generation overall, onshore deployment has rapidly declined in England since 2016. The project
pipeline is small and consists of single turbines, extensions to existing sites, or upgrades to larger turbines (Regen, 2022). However,
there have also been recent planning successes where development has been permitted, or a previous refusal has been overturned.
Key Lessons and Recommendations
Ambition Community Energy, Bristol
Application for 4.2MW, 150m wind turbine was approved in 2020
with 69 letters of support and one objection from Seabank Power
Station, due to safety fears. The council’s development control
committee granted planning consent unanimously against officers’
recommendation. The community-led scheme received clear
support in public consultation and will reinvest profits locally. The
risk of collapse was deemed a risk worth taking and supporting
community energy was noted as a priority of Bristol’s Mayor.
Bodham and Selbrigg Farm, North Norfolk
Separate applications for a 66m and 78m turbine, respectively,
were refused in 2015 due to heritage and landscape concerns.
Consent was awarded in 2017 following joint Public Inquiry, but
this decision by the Planning Inspectorate was challenged by the
Council in High Court. Consent was finally awarded in 2020, with
the climate emergency declaration stated as a key consideration.
Greater public support and concern about climate change were
also stated as positives in securing consent.
Battery Storage
Case Study
Click logo for summary
Electricity storage technologies (including battery storage) allow surplus electricity to be stored as other forms
of energy until it is required, when it can be re-released as electricity. Electricity storage can be used with
variable renewable generation, such as solar, to help provide a more constant supply. It can also provide
flexibility services to help balance the electricity grid and help reduce the power needed on the network.
Lithium-ion batteries are the most widely used battery storage technology for large scale plants at present.
Vanadium flow batteries are considered safer, more scalable, and longer-lasting, but are slower to discharge.
Battery storage can be deployed at a range of scales. For example, domestic battery storage can store excess
electricity from a household’s rooftop solar panels, whilst large utility battery storage can store excess
electricity from a power station, such as a wind farm or solar farm (House of Commons Library, 2022).
Key Planning Considerations
Planning Consent
•Removal of battery storage installations from the Nationally Significant
Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime means that electricity storage projects
above 50MW in England and 350MW in Wales (except pumped hydro
schemes) can now be determined by local planning authorities.
•Planning applications for projects over 50MW should be decided in 8 to 13
weeks, depending on their size, instead of the previous 18 months.
Locational Requirement
•There is a locational requirement for battery storage installations to be
situated near existing electrical substations and/or grid infrastructure,
reducing grid connection costs. Early engagement with the DNO is
recommended to ensure available grid capacity.
Other Important Considerations
•Noise mitigation measures if the facility is located near noise receptors.
•Ensure community safety with a secure boundary and CCTV coverage.
•Installations on green field sites will need ecological mitigation measures.
•Connection to the highway network for construction and maintenance.
•Flood lighting, surface water drainage, and landscaping may be required.
•Permission for an installation will not always include the grid connection.
This is also true for equipment associated with the facility. Permitted
development rights and land rights should be checked carefully.
•Future replacement of battery equipment should be negotiated upfront.
•A decommissioning and restoration scheme after 25 years may be
requested if the installation is located on fertile agriculture land.
•More details on these are available here.
Case Study –Energy Superhub Oxford
Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO) is one of three demonstrator projects part-funded by the UK government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge
Fund under its “Prospering from the Energy Revolution” (PFER) programme. ESO is designed to deliver innovation in smart local energy
systems. This transmission-connected project’s purpose is to decarbonise Oxford’s power, transport, and heat networks to help the city
successfully transition to Net Zero by using cutting edge energy storage systems.
Key Recommendations
Energy Innovation
•ESO is delivering new electric transport services, energy storage
services for the grid, and a heat service through local assets.
•As part of its business model, ESO has installed the UK’s first
hybrid transmission-connected battery.
Battery Technology
•The battery consists of a 50MW lithium-ion battery and a 2MW
vanadium flow battery. A combined energy management system
controls the Optimisation and Trading Engine which will decide
the optimum charge/discharge schedule for the battery.
•This provides synergies for supporting National Grid’s frequency
response tenders, allowing the vanadium flow (which doesn’t
degrade) to provide a frequency response service with the
lithium-ion, reducing degradation on the lithium-ion.
